Stretcher



T. HOBSON.

STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1921.

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Patented June 27,1922.

s'rATEs THOMAS BOBSON, OF WINDIBER, PENNSYLVANIA.

STRETCHE R."

Application fiied ma 23, 1921. Serial 1%.471568.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS RoBsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVindber, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Stretchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to st'retchers, and particularly to stretchers used as means of conveyance for the human body.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of this character that may be readily collapsed and disassembled when not in use.

It is another object of-the invention to provide a device of this character wherein the handle members of the stretcher when in use are maintained in spaced parallel relation to each other and braced so as to render the flexible body portion of thestretcher taut and prevent the same from coming in contact with the ground.

It is another object of the invention to provide a. device of this character wherein the handle members are provided with supporting legs to hold the body portion of the stretcher in spaced relation to the ground, said legs being provided with extensions adapted to be pivotally connected to the extension carried by the opposite leg of the stretcher.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide supporting and bracing means of this character capable of being formed from a single length of material, and which does not interfere in any way with the persons carrying the stretcher, or the person occupying the stretcher.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stretcher constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the supporting means,

Figure 4 is a vertical elevation of one of the legs of the supporting means, and

Figure 5 is a view in elevation showing the supporting means folded.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a stretcher embodying a fabric body member 6, having. pockets 7 provided at its longitudinal edges for the reception of the usual stretcher supporting bars or handle members 8.

In order to hold the stretcher in its extended position so as to prevent sagging of the body portion 6' and also to hold the body portion in spaced relation to the ground or floor, there is provided novel supporting means for the end portions of the handle members 8, each supporting means consisting of a pair of supporting legs, each of said legs being formed from a single length of material which is skewed as at 9 and then extended upwardly to provide a ground engaging portion 10, the upwardly extending portion 12 being disposed substantially vertical with respect to the portion 11. The portion 12 is extended toward the end of the portion 11 and beyond the same to substantially provide a compartment 13 in which a sleeve 14 is disposed, said sleeve being adapted to receive the end portion of one of the handle members or bars 8. The portion 12 has one of its longitudinal marginal edges skewed at the intermediate portion of said length and then extended in angular relation to the portion 15 to form a flange 16, the end portions 17 and 18 of the flange 16 and portion 15 being extended downwardly and then outwardly. A stop lug or hook 19 is formed at the end of the flange 16 and portion 15, the purpose of which to be hereinafter described. By this means, the flange 16 is formed without re quiring a separate piece of metal. The flange 16 is provided with an opening adjacent its skewed portion through which fastening means 21 are passed to secure the end of the portion 11 to the flange 16.

One of the supporting means above described is disposed at each end of the stretcher, the extensions or portions 15 and 16 of each supporting leg being adapted to. extend toward the extension of the opposite supporting leg, said extensions being pivoted to each other inwardly of their ends,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 27, 1922.

the hook 19 of one extension being adapted to engage the flange 16 of the opposite extension so as to limit downward movement of said extension and hold the handle mem bers the desired distance apart. By extending the end portions of the flange 16 and portion 15 downwardly, the extensions when cooperating to form a transversely extendmg brace, are prevented from moving up-' cation of force from beneath the stretcher. 1t will also be noted that when the extcn-' sions of the legs are cooperating to form the brace that the legs {are substantially inclined outwardly. This also assists in preventing acoidental movement of the extensions withrespect to each other.

From the foregoing, it will be readily seen that this invention provides a .novel.

form of stretcher which renders the same comfortable for the occupant by preventing sagging of the body portion 6 not only when the stretcher is resting upon the ground or floor, but when it is being carried by the stretcher bearers. Another important feature is that it is not necessary to operate any fastening means in order to connect the braces and hold the supporting bars or handle members in spaced relation, but

simply move the extensions of the legs.

downwardly until the hooks or stop lugs engage the extensions. hen not in use, the supporting legs may be readily disengaged from the handle members and the joint of the braces broken by swinging the extensions upwardly and toward each other, and all these features are provided by novel means that requires only a small number of parts, as the supporting leg and extension are formed from a single piece of material.

hat is claimed is:

1. A stretcher ot the character described comprising handle members, means for connecting said handle members comprising supporting legs, each leg having a sleeve disposed between the side portions of the legs for the reception of a stretcher handle member, and an extension carried 'by each leg and pivoted to the extension of the opposite leg in overlapping relation for connect-- in g said handle members to each other.

2. A stretcher of the character described comprising handle members, a supporting leg carried by each endot said handle members, one end portion of said legbeing extended toward the adjacent leg of the opposite handle member, means for pivotally connecting said extended end portions to each other inwardly of their extremities, and means carried by said extended end portions for engagement with the adjacent extended end portion to prevent movement of said end portions below the body portion or supporting means of the stretcher.

3. A stretcher of the character described comprising handle members, a supporting leg carried by each end portion of said handle members, each of said supporting legs including a rigid extension arranged to extend toward the extension of the leg of the opposite handle member, eachextension having an upwardly projected flange, means for connecting the flange oi one extension to the flange of the adjacent extension inwardly of the ends of said extensions, said legs being movable laterally oil? the stretcher toward and away from each other upon vertical movement of the extensions when the stretcher is disposed in a horizontal position.

4. A stretcher of the character described comprising handle members, supporting members carried by each end of said handle members, each of the supporting members consisting of a length of m aterialhaving one end portion thereof extended back upon said length to provide a leg, a sleeve disposed between said end portion, and the adjacent portion of said length, for the reception of one of the handle members, the opposite end portion of said length being extended over and beyond the first mentioned end portion in angular relation thereto and having one of its longitudinal edges extended at right angles to the opposite longitudinal edge of the last mentioned end portion to provide a flange. a stop lug carried by the end portion 0'1" said flange, and means for connecting the last mentioned end portion of each of the supporting legs of one handle member, to the corresponding end portion ol the supporting legs carried by the opposite handle member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

THOMAS ROBSON. 

